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Shortcuts | Nov. 1, 2012

condensed local news about civic and cultural goings-on

Thursday Nov. 1st, 2012

UWEC PHYSICIAN RECEIVES AWARD FOR COLLEGE HEALTHDr. Pamela Gray – who has been a physician at UW-Eau Claire’s Student Health Services since 1998 – was awarded the 2012 North Central College Health Association’s Dr. Gail A. McClure Proffitt Award for to acknowledge her “unique service and expertise” that she brings to the field of college health. Gray said she enjoys the one-on-one interactions she gets to have with students in the college health setting. Kate Wilson – a health educator who nominated Gray – said she did sobecause of Gray’s leadership and her ability to connect with students and help them not only with physical ailments, but in all facets of college life.

LAND SWAP PROPOSED TO HELP PROPOSED NEW YMCAThe new YMCA that has been proposed and on the horizon for the last few years moved a little closer to reality on Oct. 24 when Eau Claire’s Waterways and Parks Commission suggested a land swap between the YMCA and the city where the Menomonie Street land the YMCA now owns would be returned to the city and land at Galloway and River Prairie Drive would go to the YMCA. The new location was unanimously favored by the commission. This move to the Galloway Street location could see the project begin to move forward again after the Menomonie Street site caused controversy.

NEW WINTER PARADE LAUNCHING IN DECEMBERThe Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department announced a new winter parade in Eau Claire that’s set for Dec. 15 of this year. The aptly named Clearwater Winter Parade and Family Fun Celebration is meant to promote community and family activities that often get looked over in the winter months. Proceeds from the events will be used to fund scholarships for youth activities, programs and Fairfax Pool passes. Hobbs Ice Center will play host to the events with the parade running down Water Street. Businesses or organizations interested in having a float in the winter parade should turn an application into the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department by Nov. 14.

STOUT PROFESSORS GET GRANT TO RESEARCH RESEARCHTwo professors at the UW-Stout are going to examine the value of research in the classroom while studying water quality in Lake Menomin. Stephen Nold and Scott McGovern have received a National Science Foundation grant for $176,818, a sizeable chunk of money. The grant is called CRIUSE, Classroom Research to Invigorate Undergraduate STEM Education (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The project, which is for this and the next academic year, will involve over 1,000 students, including applied science majors and also nonmajors. With this grant, Nold and McGovern plan to continue the research they started on the blue-green algae problem in Lake Menomin and also assess how group research in the classroom can affect student engagement in classes. The blue-green algae in the lake is caused by a high phosphorous concentration in the Red Cedar River watershed.